


Lean on Me

by TinkerTech



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-10
Updated: 2020-01-27
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:41:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22194946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TinkerTech/pseuds/TinkerTech
Summary: Ten Years is a long time to wait, let alone for the savior of the world. Yet wait they must, as the residual heat from the Meteor's shards fades and the Daemons grow ever stronger in the shadows of the night. In times like these all one can do is pull their companions close, lean to one another for safety and security, and wait for the coming of the dawn.A Love Story told in three acts; The Time Before, the Ten Years, and After the Breaking of Dawn.





	1. Prolouge

She’d never been to a street festival before.

It was still daytime; According to Stacey, the Founder’s Festival was always best at night, when the street lamps were lit and everyone could walk about in traditional costume rather than business casual. Sadly, Shiroma had a strict curfew, so she had to make do with a visit during her lunch hour. But it was better than not attending at all.

Somnus Park was crowded, even in the middle of the day. Food stalls and carnival games were set up along every walking path and road, and the pond was surrounded by picnic goers and children doing their best to fly kites in what little spring breeze there was. She herself was sat upon a small stone wall that lined the path from the pond to Eckles street. Every bench and picnic table that had been set up was full. Shiroma tucked her parasol a little closer into her arm and did her best to dig into the salad that she had bought for lunch. She knew it would be easier to eat if she set the parasol down. Sadly it, like her curfew, was a non-negotiable part of being able to live on her own. Father would be furious if she allowed her skin to be even kissed by the sun.

There were the sound of screams, but she paid them no mind. Hidden somewhere amongst the stalls was a small carnival, with spinning rides and mirror mazes and even a small Ferris wheel. Children and adults alike had been enjoying them all day. It was fun to watch them from the window of her office. She looked up at the skyscraper that filled the skyline. It wasn’t nearly as tall as the others; it was an older building, after all. Still, the office in the corner of the fifteenth floor offered a beautiful view of the park, even on rainy days.

_“Your resume lists your experience with clerical skills. Could you be a little more specific?”_

_“Oh… Organizing schedules, responding to e-mails and messages, keeping inventories… I use Ascend’s Productivity suite, to streamline much of my work, though I can also use Steelworks, if it is necessary.”_

_“You can use a computer, then.”_

_“Yes, ma’am. I have a typing speed of 56 words a minute.”_

_“That’s… rather impressive, I admit. Not many girls from Edelweiss Institute bother to invest in the more… technical skills.”_

_“No, Ma’am. It made it easier to concentrate in class."_

She took a bite of lettuce and sighed. The job posting had said ‘research assistant’ when the job fair had been held at Edelweiss, but it honestly felt more like a secretarial job than anything else. Still, anything that got her out of the apartment and, more importantly, the family estate. The Solstice was in three months. She tried not to think about it.

There were screams, this time much closer than the carnival. She looked up from her food to watch what looked like a mob of teenage girls descend upon someone. Insomnia had more than its share of celebrities, from movie stars to sports players, even the Royal family. She shouldn’t be surprised that one or two would make appearances today. Thankfully they usually had security with them to scare off most of the overly-enthusiastic fans. She returned to her lunch, uninterested.

_“Do you have any hobbies or skills outside of office work?”_

_“I play piano. I played as an intermissionist during the Edelweiss charity auction last fall.”_

_“I remember that auction. Your skill is exquisite, although that may be expected from a young woman with such a fast typing speed.”_

_“Thank you.”_

_“Do you have an interest in a music career? You have the talent.”_

_“I… I have thought about it, but family commitments keep me from pursuing such a career. My father would prefer I focus my attention on a future more aligned with family traditions.”_

‘Future’ was a relative term to what her father had planned for her, if ‘music’ could be a relative term for ‘discordant banging of pots and pans.’ She had been seeking a way to escape for months, but to no avail; her father had too much of a grip on her life to break away. Or she was just to scared to make the break herself. She wasn’t sure which was the stronger.

Her thoughts were interrupted by yet more screams, these ones descending upon her ears in a cacophony as the teenage girls appeared from nowhere, settling down around her on the wall like a flock of birds. They never even gave her presence notice. “The Nerve of that guy! We only wanted photos with the Prince!” one sighed.

“Do you think he would have taken me to one of the game stalls if I asked really really nicely?” Another asked.

“You? You can’t even tell which way the Citadel is from here!”

“Oh, like you’re any better! Did you see how ugly you were trying to fawn over him?”

There was a snapping of fingers. All eyes turned toward one girl in the middle, with long brown hair and wrists bedecked with jewelry. Had Shiroma still been in finishing school, this girl would have definitely been labeled the “Alpha” of the group. Shiroma had another label for girls of that type, but it started with a ‘B’ and wasn’t spoken in polite company. She waited until she had the undivided attention of her flock. “You girls are a shame to me. You don’t just walk up to the Prince of Lucis and demand an autograph and a photo.”

“You led the charge.” One of the girls muttered under her breath.

“No, you find a way to get into his good graces. Some… collateral, if you will.” She said with a wicked smile while holding something in her hand. “Now, his dear minder seems to have lost these in that horrid scuffle with you all, and I would be remiss in my duties as an Insomnian citizen if I did not return them to their proper owner.” The words were so dripping in honey that it made Shiroma want to choke. “Then, after I’ve done my duty and made myself a shining star in their eyes, I shall be granted an audience with the Prince. You-hold these for me while I freshen up.”

Shiroma looked up and scrambled to catch the pair of glasses that were sent flying her way before they landed in the Salad. as soon as the girls appeared they were gone, traipsing off in a group to the nearest restroom to straighten their hair and check their teeth for spinach. She looked down at the forgotten pair of spectacles, wondering if the Alpha had ever realized she wasn’t actually a part of her flock. _Hang, on, these are…_

She sighed and set down her food, pulling herself off the wall while cradling the glasses in her free hand. The trouble with celebrities, she decided as she picked up the remainder of her lunch and set off across the field of grass, pumps doing their best to sink into the dew-soaked soil, was that occasionally she forgot she worked for one.

_“Now, your daily duties are going to be basic secretarial work; answering phones, arranging schedules and taking care of mail. You will also be asked to assist in compiling notes from meetings and pulling together research for other meetings, which is why your title is ‘research assistant’ and not ‘secretary.’ I will warn you now; many, many high-profile members of Insomnia will come to this office demanding an audience with the Prince, seeing him as the weaker point in the Royal Family to promote their cause. Thankfully he still has school most of the day, but this is his and Ignis’ office as far as they are concerned. Your job is to weed out the unworthy and the persistent. Those two are busy enough as it is; they don’t need someone from the transportation department badgering them about next year’s budget.”_

It wasn’t hard to spot them, even in the middle of a crowded festival. Gladio was still holding off a persistent admirer, mostly at arms’ length while the girl in question flailed uselessly. She saw one of Noctis’ classmates-Prompto, was it?- picking the remains of what looked like a large plate of spicy nachos off the street to throw away. Noctis and Ignis themselves were standing between them, slightly surrounded by other people she didn’t recognize. Ignis looked more agitated than she had seen him in the last few months.

“Dude, you still have your spares at the office, right?”

“That isn’t the point! I’m not about to let a perfectly good pair of glasses get lost just because of a schoolyard tussle!”

“Well, we haven’t found them yet. At least we haven’t found them smashed.”

“Sir?” Shiroma slid past the young man in a school uniform trying to stand defensively between the Prince and anyone else in the street. “I’m not sure what you’re looking for, but you might have more luck if you had these.” She knew perfectly well what he was looking for, but nevertheless played innocent as Ignis processed the all-too-rapid return of his glasses. Some tiny part of her soul that still held out in rebellion against an arranged marriage couldn’t help but notice how handsome he was even without them.

“Shiroma? Where on earth did you find these?”

“A flock of magpies decided to roost while I was eating lunch.” Shiroma said, handing over the glasses. “Thankfully they didn’t seem overly interested in them.”

Ignis took them back with a word of thanks. “I doubt they were looking to build a nest.”

“No, but they were very interested in the Prince.” She looked over at the young man in question. “They seemed to think they could win an audience by returning what they stole under the pretense of… what was they word they used? Collateral?”

“I’m lost. Are we still talking about birds?” Prompto chimed in, trying to balance a large pile of plates.

Ignis sighed. “It was a metaphor, Prompto.”

“Oh…. Hey, isn’t that them over there?” They looked across the field to see the flock of girls, now screaming at each other outside one of the restrooms.

“They seem to have notice that their prize has gone missing.” Ignis mused. “I think we had best make ourselves scarce before they try again.  
“Don’t need to tell me twice.” Noctis agreed. “Gladio!”

Gladio shrugged and gave the girl he was holding back a good spin. By the time she had regained her balance, three of the four boys had vanished into the crowd.

“I know you were enjoying the time out, but that parasol of yours does make you stand out. You may wish to return to the office before they spot you.” Ignis said quietly. Shiroma looked up at the offending umbrella.

“You have a point. I still have work to finish anyway. What time did you need those meeting minutes by?”

“Anytime before five will be fine, thank you.” Ignis looked down at the Salad in her hand. “Is that from the O’Cready’s Fritters stall down the street?”

“It is. How could you tell?”

“They are one of more established stands in the festival; they’ve been coming for years. It was a good choice.”

“Oh. Thank you.” She felt slightly embarrassed, but still managed a small smile. “I’ll have those minutes ready this afternoon.” Ignis thanked her, and with a small wave vanished into the crowd to catch up with Noctis. Shiroma couldn’t keep the smile off her face, even as she turned down a different path to walk back to the office. The screaming of the magpies soon blended in with the screams from the carnival. Advisor to the Prince, gifted student, an IQ that could put most academics to shame… but she wouldn’t have pegged him as an aficionado of street food. _What an interesting man I work for._


	2. Facades

The office was quiet that morning. Not that Shiroma minded in the slightest; Mr. Popwell was good for a chat over a cup of tea, but the report on the agricultural crisis wasn’t going to write itself. She settled for putting the coffee she’d bought from the shop down the street between the monitor and her inbox before settling in at her desk. The mail had been collected from its place just inside the door and sorted; Morning newspaper, periodicals and magazines for those who were insistent on waiting, letters of all sorts of importance from important people who needed to talk to someone even more important, now. She’d left the magazines on the coffee table and the newspaper on what served as Ignis’ desk; she knew he liked the morning crossword. 

The rest of the mail sat in her inbox, waiting to be opened and skimmed through before being summarized in two sentences for the important men in question. There was a lot, most of it polite inquiries for meetings. It had been slow going, but Shiroma was finally getting a feel for the kind of issues the Prince Of Lucis found interest in. There was a report on her desktop that summarized the different organizations, political figures and corporations that petitioned for the Prince’s attention. It was amazing what people believed a Royal endorsement would do to resolve their troubles.

The Agricultural crisis was one of many of said troubles; Insomnia was struggling to feed its people. Being cut off from the rest of the world had caused a drastic decrease in both imports and exports, including food. That being said, it could not be ignored that what little farmland had managed to find itself inside the Shield of Lucis wasn’t enough to sustain the city long-term. There had been meeting after meeting and battle after hard-fought battle about how to resolve the issue without giving an inch to the Niffs that were waiting like wolves just outside the Shield. 

Her rapid typing only paused slightly as her employer walked in the door. “Good morning, sir.” She said, looking up from her computer as Ignis passed her desk. “The report on the latest Agricultural Resolution committee meeting should be ready in an hour.” She reached for a piece of paper that had hidden itself under her keyboard. “The Committee head is asking for an impartial opinion on the three options they have managed to narrow their solutions down to. This is a summary of those options.”

Ignis scanned the paper. “When is their next meeting?”

Shiroma checked the calendar on her desk. “Saturday, at ten-thirty.”

“On a weekend?”

“They wanted to be sure the Prince could attend.”

“They are serious.” Ignis took a closer look at the paper. “The full report will be ready in an hour?”

“Yes, sir. The mail should be processed shortly after.”

“Thank you, Miss Shimura.”

He walked into the conference room behind her and shut the door. She didn’t mind; his day was, even on the slower ones, were usually fit to bursting with meetings and events. If he could have five minutes of the day to himself, she would give it to him, and guard it fiercely; He took his job as the adviser for the future king of Lucis serious. Sometimes a little too seriously, she thought. She’d seen the dark circles under his eyes and wondered just how much sleep he’d gotten the night before. Hopefully the Ebony she’d left on the conference table next to the crossword would help.

Forty-five minutes later the report was finished, checked for spelling, and neatly printed out and waiting at the edge of her desk. She’d turned to the mail, one ear tuned to the conference room as Ignis answered phone call after phone call. She’d offered to field those as well, but he had declined. “If we both answer the phones neither of us shall get anything done.” So he sat at the table and conferred with various heads of state as she opened letter after letter. She was proud of the little system she had set up to organize the worryingly large stack of mail; there was a different highlight across the top of each one as she opened it and checked it; blue for petitions, purple for reports, green for ‘lunch invitations’ and yellow for fan mail. For someone who tended to stay off the radar as much as possible, the young Prince received an awful lot of letters from adoring young ladies with rather persistent noses for addresses they shouldn’t know. He never responded to them.

She’d almost reached the bottom of the pile when she found the death threat.

It took her a moment to process the letter; it had been in a completely ordinary envelope, though there had been no return address. That should have been her first clue that something was amiss, in retrospect. The letter itself was bulky, and it was easy to see why; someone had clipped letters from newspapers and magazines to arrange their message. It would have been comical if the message itself hadn’t been so grim. Her heart slowed as she took in the letter.

“Miss Shimura, Do you know if the Agricultural committee meeting will be in the-Shiroma?” Ignis stuck his head out of the conference room in time to notice her freeze at the letter. He ended the call and walked over to her desk, carefully taking the letter from her hands. His eyes narrowed as he read it. Without moving he started a new phone call. “Where is the envelope?”

She handed it to him silently, doing her best not to fumble. “It came with the rest of the morning mail.”

“As if there wasn’t enough on my plate.” Ignis muttered to himself. “Gladio! Are you busy?”

_That was fast._ Shiroma thought to herself. Ignis was always calm and collected, even at the worst of times. But the letter had shut down whatever relaxed mood he had been in, focusing him to a ice-cold point of focus. She might have brushed off the letter as a joke, if it weren’t for his serious response. She shook herself out of her reverie and began to dig up the number for the mail-room. She paused for a moment to write it down, then searched through the directory again for Security. Both were neatly printed on a sticky-note by the time Ignis finished the first phone call.

Ignis looked at the note. “You call the Mail-room, ask if they have a policy for suspicious packages. I’ll call security.”

Shiroma nodded and reached for the desk phone. “Mail-Room, Tony speaking.” A bored voice said from the other end of the line.

“Good morning, this is Ms. Shimura from the fifteenth floor. I wanted to-”

“Look, lady, I don’t care how much mail you get up there, we don’t sort out the junk mail for you.” The man snapped. “You lot up in marketing think you own the place just because-”

“What? No, I’m not from Accelerated Electronics. I work in the suite at the end of the hall.” Shiroma did her best to be patient. “I wanted to ask if the-”

“Don’t lie to me, I know Ms. Shimura works in Marketing! You call every three days badgering me for your latest fashion magazine subscription! Frankly, lady, you shouldn’t even be getting that sent to your work address, I don’t care if-”

“You don’t mean Mrs. Beaklen from office F23?” Shiroma asked. “Blonde hair that is likely dyed, cheap nails, face scrunched up like-” She stopped herself “I mean, Tends to wear pink?”

“No, every time she comes down here she says her surname is Shimura.”

Shiroma’s eyes narrowed. “Well, that’s odd, because my surname is Shimura and I definitely do not have a relative that works in this building.” Let alone one with such a bad haircut. She thought to herself. “I will be having a talk with Mrs. Beaklen later. I was calling to inquire about the mail for Suite F214?”

“F214? That’s one of the independent offices.” She started to hear the light bulb slowly flicker on over his head. “Let me look… yeah, you’d want to talk to the secretary up there, a… A Ms. Shiroma Shimura….”

“That would be me.”

“…Ah.” The light bulb finally clicked on. “I see. I… I’m terribly sorry, it’s been a rough morning down here, I’m down two guys, my Temps are useless and Marketing is up our tails about their latest brochure dispersement.”

“I’m afraid I’m not about to alleviate your issues, Tony. Does the Mail-room have a policy for suspicious mail?”

“Suspicious how?”

“I will be blunt, Tony. We just received a death threat at this office and my employer is none too happy.” She could hear Ignis arguing with Security out of the corner of her eye. “The letter in question was in a plain envelope with no return address.”

“That’s all? I could see it slipping by my Temps.” Tony replied. “They aren’t the brightest bulbs in the box, if you catch my drift. We had a fairly tight suspicious package policy, but turnover’s done a number on our training, and I think it only covered packages, not letters. I can take a look and call you back later today.”

“That would be much appreciated, thank you.” Ignis hung up the phone call and nodded. “You can expect a phone call from Security, too. We’ve already informed them.”

“Right, that’s going to start some fires.” Tony sighed. “I’ll see if I can find out who sorted the mail for your suite today.”

“Thank you.” Shiroma peeked at her calendar. There was scarcely time for lunch, let alone time to track down Mrs. Beaklen about the rampant identity theft she was pulling. “I do have one more question; am I correct in guessing that mail-room policy states that mail can only be delivered to a particular place, or released to whomever has their name on the address?”

“Not word for word, but it’s a close guess.” Tony confirmed. 

“The next time Mrs. Beaklen comes down there and tries to use my name to get her mail, tell her that you can only release it to the person who’s name is on the mail in question.” Shiroma suggested.

Tony laughed. “Ha! She’s already been blacklisted from visiting the mail room in person, but the new guys don’t know that. I can’t wait to see the look on her puckered-up face. Thanks, Ms. Shimura. I’ll call later about that letter.” 

“Thank you, have a good day.” Shiroma set down the phone. “They have a policy, but they aren’t sure it covers letters. The supervisor is going to check and call me later today.”

“Brilliant. Security will be up shortly to collect the letter and the envelope until the police arrive.”

She almost asked if it was that serious, but stopped herself. Of course a threat to the Prince’s life would be taken seriously. “It’s an amateur threat, but a threat nonetheless.” Ignis seemed to read her mind. “We shouldn’t have to tighten security, but please be careful with any more mail you open. Don’t even bother with any boxes that arrive.”

Not that anyone ordered anything to the office. She took the hint. “I will.”

“Your fingerprints are in your background check, am I correct?”

“What? Oh, yes.” A ‘check’ was putting the deep and extremely thorough look into her history mildly. Such was to be expected when working for the royal family. 

“Good, then they won’t waste any more of your time.” Ignis set the offensive letter down on the coffee table. “Security should be up shortly. They’ll be the liaison between you and the police when they arrive.”

“I’ll call you as soon as they get here.”

Ignis vanished back into the office, phone already to his ear as he made another call. She did her best not to look at the letter sitting on the table as she turned to the last few bits of mail. She longed for a cup of tea to settle her nerves, but she didn’t dare leave until Security had arrived. 

_Maybe I should look into getting a kettle_. She thought as she reached for the next envelope, trying not to shake as she opened it. It would be trivial to have in an office, but it would save her a trip to the break room on the other side of the floor. But having a kettle would make her feel like a permanent part of the office.

And she wasn’t sure she was going to be around for much longer.


	3. Facades

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The characters in this story can speak many languages, mostly equivalent to our own. The Author cannot. Any translations have been done with the dubious help of online translators. Apologies for any discrepancies.

It was lunchtime before she felt normal again. Shiroma let out a long breath as she sat back down at her desk. Ignis had vanished for a meeting of some sort; The chairman of the Summer festival committee, if memory served. Her own lunch had been a small bento box, simple and unadorned. She longed for even a small packet of soy sauce to flavor her food, but the family had just as much a stranglehold on her diet as they did all other aspects of her life. She counted it a miracle that she had been allowed to seek employment. At least until the Solstice.

The Solstice. Two and a half months until the end of her freedom.

She tried not to think about it even as she opened her e-mail and began compiling the latest list of requests and meetings. The Yamato district of Insomnia had been long known for its reverence of tradition and family structure. What those outside the district did not realize was just what lengths the Old Families went to in their quest to preserve those traditions.

_“Brides are expected to behave a certain way, Shiroma. Quiet, reserved, only speaking when spoken to. You will maintain a slim figure at all times and your hair must never be left unkempt. Your skin must be pale; Brides of Yamato do not spend their days working in the sun. You will bring our family much honor in being a valued bride.”_

_You mean much wealth._ She thought sourly to herself as she tapped at the keyboard, perhaps a bit harder than she meant to. The families that produced the most beautiful, doe-eyed brides were the ones who received the most in… ahem, *commisioning fees*. What it really meant was that she was a slave, sold with a reverse dowry to whichever young heir to any Old Family in Yamato found interest in her. Her phone dinged with a message, almost on cue. She looked at the sender, then gently set down her phone before she threw it across the room.

-Be at the Family Estate by 5:30 P.M. to Prepare for the Yamato District Court of Honors.  
Sent 12:57 P.M.

 _I’d have to leave work early in order to make it all the way to Yamato._ She thought to herself. It was an hour by train, at least. Staying in her apartment wasn’t an option. She had tried it before, and had gotten dragged back to the Estate by her father’s bodyguard for her troubles. She had almost lost what little freedom she’d had with that stunt. Her job and her apartment were too precious for her to lose, even if she would lose them on the Solstice regardless. She looked at her inbox in dismay. She did her best to balance her work life and her home nightmare, but the demands of both clashed far more often than they cooperated.

The Court of Honors. She wanted to spit at the name. _It’s more like a circus_. And the Brides were the main attraction.

The door to the office opened, and she pasted a smile on her face before anyone could see the storm clouds in her eyes. Ignis entered the office, followed by two men she didn’t recognize. Their tanned skin and rough hands screamed “labor” but their suits were clean and pressed. Shiroma kept her eyes pointed at the screen, but focused on anything but.

“Surely you can arrange a small meeting, senor Scientia.” The elder of the two men said. “We do not wish to waste the young Prince’s time.” His words glistened with an insincere honey.

“I’m sorry, but I’m afraid there’s no openings in either of our schedules today.” Ignis looked calm, but she could tell he was exasperated. “You are more than welcome to make an appointment with my assistant for the next available day, but it may not be for some time.”

“Surely that is _innecesario_... that is to say… unnecessary? We can simply come back tomorrow.”

The second man leaned over to the first and spoke in rapid Lestallan. “ _Este bratezo merodeo piensa que es mejor que nosotros porque está a salvo dentro de las paredes. Deberíamos mostrar el pequeño engañado un sabor de la antigua hospitalidad de Lestallum a su vez_.”

“ _Por favor, no use dicho idioma en esta oficina, gracias._ ” Shiroma said without looking up from her screen. She sensed a moment of silence, then felt three pairs of eyes on her as the men in the room processed what they had heard. She looked up in a quiet, but polite confirmation of her statement before returning to her e-mail.

“Ah… I mean, I would hate to keep you and your assistant busy. We shall find another member of the council to petition.” It was almost comical how the two men backpedaled on their previous bravado. They left the room without another word, closing the door a touch too quickly behind them.

“That was unexpected.” Ignis commented, setting down the folders he had carried in with him. “I didn’t know you could speak Lestallan, Shiroma.”

“I grew up with nannies that spoke it.” Shiroma said, slightly embarrassed. “Do they not teach it at Insomnia University anymore?”

“They do, but I’m afraid my own mastery of the language is somewhat… lacking.” Ignis looked down at the folders. “And it seems they were counting on that. Not many people in Insomnia have a need to speak it anymore, with the Shield between us and Cleigne.”

“They speak it in Old Lestallum?”

“More than it is in Lestallum itself, but yes, as well as a few of the smaller towns around it.” Ignis confirmed. “Is that what they said?”

“They mentioned “Old Lestallum’s hospitality”, but I doubt it was of the charitable kind.” Shiroma tapped at another e-mail. “They must have gotten caught behind the Shield when it was activated.”

“Not necessarily.”

“Oh?”

“There are still a few ways in and out of the city, though they aren’t advertised. One of which is a small tunnel underneath the city. It’s the only place where the shield is weak enough to pass through without requiring the King’s focus. The Kingsglaive use it when they leave the city on raids on Niff bases.” He picked up one of the folders. “The Agricultural committee got wind of it and are proposing using it to ferry food from outside. If this gets around even the Niffs themselves will know. The Tunnel is guarded closely, but the King would rather not collapse the one way out of the city if the Niffs try to invade.”

“Do you think they would?”

“They would press their advantage if they found one. That being said, that particular tunnel lets out into the sewer system, and there are reports from the Kingsglaive that it has become infested with Daemons as of late. They haven’t posed much of a threat yet, but there is the fact that they are currently acting as a barrier between us and the Niffs.”

Shiroma suppressed a shudder. The Shield also kept the Daemons, the creatures of the Starscourge that lurked in the night, out of the city. She’d never seen one in person and hoped that she never would. “Let’s hope they stay there.”

“Indeed.” Ignis looked at the folders. “School will be letting out in an hour. Can you have a copy of the Agricultural Committee Report ready with these adjustments by then?”

 _When did he find time to even read that?_ “Of course.” Shiroma said, taking the folder.

“Thank you. Hopefully Noct can steer the committee in a direction that doesn’t involve compromising our defenses. There is also-”

“Ignis, darling!”

Both Ignis and Shiroma jumped at the sudden voice, not having noticed that the door had opened again. The woman that walked in was tall, her light brown hair pulled back into a loose bun and sunglasses that accentuated her angled face. Her blue scarf made her look more like a runway model than the Socialite she was. Shiroma felt her blood run cold at the sight of the red envelope in her hand.

“Hello, mother.” Ignis said, regaining his composure. “What brings you here?”

“Other than visiting my favorite son? I shouldn’t need an excuse for that!” Mrs. Scientia exclaimed. “I hope you don’t mind, but I’m borrowing you tonight. Young Noct can get on without you for one evening.”

“I… This… We have a meeting on Saturday to prepare for…”

 _The only person who can make Ignis flustered._ Shiroma noted. _His mother_.

“It’s Teusday, darling, you have plenty of time for that committee meeting.” Mrs. Scientia held up the envelope. “We received an invitation for the Yamato District Court of Honors, and you will be going.”

Ignis scrambled for an excuse that didn’t sound like a complaint. “Father won’t be going with you?”

“Nonsense, he’s far too busy with other matters tonight.”

“This is _tonight?_ ”

“I know, it is a last minute invitation, I suppose it got lost in the mail. But I love a good challenge.” There was a dangerous gleam in her eyes that Shiroma both respected and feared. She’d seen that same gleam in her eyes when the lady had finished her interview and hired her on the spot. “You’ll need to finish early today if you want to be ready in time. I expect you ready by Seven, at the latest. I’ll meet you at the Penthouse door, okay?” She leaned forward and gave her son a kiss on the cheek, before waving and vanishing out the door. “I’ll see you then!”

There was silence in the office after the door closed. “Well.” Ignis coughed and adjusted his tie. “I suppose I shall have to deal with the report tomorrow.” He looked out the window. “What even is the…”

“The Court of Honors is an Old Yamato District tradition.” Shiroma cut in, interrupting his train of thought. “Every year the Old Families Gather to celebrate the achievements the Heads of Households and their heirs have accumulated. Titles are awarded for outstanding advancements in science, medicine, business, and so on. For the Men, it is a chance to polish their lapel pins and bask in their glory days. For the women it is an excuse to dress up, gather, and gossip.” _And for the unlucky brides it is a showing before the Solstice._

“I had forgotten you were from the Yamato District.”

“Do not worry about the late notice. The organizing committee does that on purpose.”

“And what purpose is that?”

“The Court of Honors… for a long time it was solely a Yamato District tradition. In recent years they have had to cave to pressure from the other districts to invite from outside, but they send the invitations last minute to discourage invitees from outside Yamato from attending.” _After all, they can’t let the other districts know they still sell brides to the highest bidder like art pieces_. “The Old Families are very strong on tradition.”

“Do they invite the Royal Family?”

“I didn’t see the invitation in today’s mail. It may appear tomorrow, but by then it would be too late.” She knew full well they never invited the Royal Family. Where the King or the Prince went there were far more cameras and nosy so-called reporters poking their noses into anything. The Yamato district papers could be bribed; the Yamato Times’ CEO’s son was one of the Heirs participating in the Passing of the Brides this year. But gossip rags from other districts could bring the whole charade crashing down with a single issue, and no amount of money or pressure could keep them quiet. “Regardless, I doubt the Prince would have much interest in attending.”

“You would not be wrong, either.” Ignis sighed. “I suppose we will both be finishing early today. What time can you have that report edited by?”

“Two thirty, just as you requested.”

“Good.” Ignis looked at his watch. “Go ahead and go home after you’ve finished that and caught up on the mail and the schedules. Are there any openings in the next few days?”

“Booked solid, as per usual.”

“A blessing, for once.”

“How so?”

“It will be easy to say ‘no’ to any more requests for meetings. This couldn’t have come at a worse time.” Ignis walked into the conference room to re-arrange his evening as Shiroma opened the folder. There were surprisingly few edits.

She wasn’t sure whether or not to be relieved or worried. On one hand, she would be able to make it home in time without angering her father.

On the other hand, there would be someone she very much liked and respected walking head-first into her personal nightmare. The two aspects of her life were about to collide, and not in a good way. _This couldn’t have come at a worse time…_


	4. The Court of Honors

The hall was already crowded when they arrived. The Yamato Magistrate’s mansion was used for the Court of Honors every year, and with good reason; it was the only building anyone could find decked in such splendor. The grand staircase seemed to shine with gold, marble floors polished to a sheen. Shiroma tread carefully as her family and the bodyguards led the way into the room. She did her best to vanish behind their bulk.

She had arrived home to little fanfare; after her parents had lambasted her for her tardiness and poor hair (neither of which were true) she had been sent to prepare for the Court of honors. Her hair had been oiled to a sheen and placed in elegant curls around her hair, with cherry-blossom decorations. The rose lace dress fit perfectly, even though the red trim made her ill at the sight of it.

_Find a curtain, a corner, a balcony anywhere you can hide as much as possible. Be polite, but silent. Blend in. And avoid anyone with a red-lined handkerchief._ She didn’t have much of a plan, or much hope in it working. It was impossible to vanish in a room where all eyes were watching her. The room quieted for a moment as they entered, before the conversation picked up again. She could see the other brides scattered about the room, all in dresses of similar design. All with a red trim. They were as pale as she was, though the realities of genetics held more sway over their appearances than their guardians could stomach. Kumiko had the misfortune of having a father with a pre-disposition towards diabetes, and as such would never be as slim as the other girls. Noriko was tall, tall enough to be intimidating rather than appealing. And young Mai barely passed the age limit for the annual Passing; she still had baby fat in her cheeks. Shiroma herself was slim, but fought against her parents at every turn when it came to her skin color.

She wished she could find companionship in the other girls. But they were forbidden from speaking to each other outside of polite conversation. They were competing against each other, after all. They had been in the same boarding hall at Finishing school-Mai and Kumiko still had one more year-But none of them had really talked to each other. She would have been a shut in entirely if it hadn’t been for Stacey.

“ _Do you ever go out, Shiro?”_

_“What… Oh, no, I don’t. My family is very strict about going outside.”_

_“No, I don’t mean like that. I mean… out, out. Like, to the cinema or a coffee shop or the arcade or wherever.”_

_“…What’s a ‘cinema?’”_

_“…”_

_“… Okay, we are fixing this. Right. Now. Put your shoes on and let’s go.”_

_“Go where?”_

_“The Movies! Demolitionist 3 Opens tonight and my date ditched me. Trust me, you haven’t had fun until you’ve seen Tom Abernathy and his fabulous abs in an action movie.”_

And they did. For two hours Shiroma escaped the stifling, lonely confines of the dorm room and escaped into a thrilling fantasy where any problem could be solved by punching it hard enough in the face. _If I tried that now I would probably break my hand._

“Shimura! A pleasure to see you tonight.” A man in a sparkling red coat down the stairs. The Magistrate was anything but subtle, even on the best of days. He took her father’s hand warmly. “I trust the real-estate business is treating you well?”

“Wonderfully-Apartment prices are at a perfect premium.” Her father said with satisfaction.

_That isn’t the half of it._ Shiroma thought to herself. The Shield had not only cut off the city from most of its food supply, but also prevented it from expanding any further outward. Families old and young were scrambling for what few houses and apartments remained. New ones were being built on the foundations of old ones, of course… but that took time. And people needed housing now.

“Good to hear, good to hear.” There was a glint in the magistrate’s eye that worried her. He felt like a viper waiting to strike. “And how is your son? I trust his studies are going well?”

“As well as a young man of ten can focus, yes.” Her father smiled back. “I have yet to find a decent tutor that can keep him on track, but he’s a sharp lad. He will be an excellent Heir when the time comes.”

_Perhaps if you listened to your son once in a while you would know he has no interest in mathematics._

“That is a very good thing to hear. He will be… oh, twenty when the time for his Bride comes. A good age, if I do say so myself. Too old and you lose interest in the prize, too young and they don’t appreciate it. You have to be a lucky man indeed to be in that sweet point, and your son is a lucky boy indeed.”

Shiroma suppressed a shudder. The Heirs could be any age above the legal limit for marriage; eighteen. The Brides were gathered in to groups five years apart, but only until they reached twenty-four; after that they were deemed too old to be eligible as a Bride. She sneaked a peek around the room. There were only a few red-lined handkerchiefs that she could see, all close to her age. What happens when there are more Brides than Heirs? She wondered. Statistically, it was feasible. Practically, she knew it was not; the Council was very careful in their selections. There would be one Bride for every Heir. _Unless something were to happen…_

“Ah, Shiroma. As Radiant as always.” She felt the spotlight turn on her as the Magistrate called her name. “You graduated from Edelweiss with An Honor Cord, did you not?”

“Yes, sir.” Shiroma bowed her head. “And a Presidential Commendation for Acheivements in Exellence.”

“Good, Good.” She could hear the faint *tap tap* of stylus on screed and did her best to look away from the assistant standing just behind the Magistrate. “Now,” The Magistrate leaned closer and lowered his voice. “I understand that you took employment after graduation? Ambition is… frowned upon in a Bride.”

“Is seeking to serve one’s country in humility ambition?” Shiroma asked in turn. “I only wish to represent Yamato to the best of my ability.”

It seemed to satisfy the Magistrate, at least for the moment. The reality still stood that Yamato Tradition and Insomnian culture clashed in many ways; namely, someone would notice if every Yamato graduate from Edelweiss never sought employment. “I see.” His eyes narrowed. “That is all well and good, but your duty to Yamato comes above all else. Perhaps you should consider resig-”

“Ah, Magistrate Morioka. What a pleasure to see you outside of dreary offices.” The voice was silk, low, almost opposite of the cheery, high-pitched voice that had invaded the office only hours before. Shiroma dared not believe her eyes as Lady Scientia appeared from nowhere, Ignis in tow. “I see you dress far more… flamboyantly than you do when you petition my husband for work.”

“Lady Scientia! What a pleasure!” The Magistrate hid his surprise well. He genuinely wasn’t expecting her arrival. “I see our invitation arrived on time?”

“Sadly, my dear friend, your invitation nearly didn’t come at all. Which would have been a shame; I hear such wonderful stories about the Court of Honors.”

“All good things, I hope.”

“As good as any such stories could be.” Lady Scientia smiled warmly. “Though I must say I was expecting a more… pleasant atmosphere. It seems very quiet for a celebration.”

“Alas, the orchestra I had commissioned to play tonight had to cancel at the last minute. Something about a samonella outbreak.” The Magistrate said with a wave of his hand. “Which is a terrible shame. I paid quite handsomely for them.”

It was at that point Lady Scientia spied Shiroma doing her best to blend into the background. “Why, Miss Shimura! I hadn’t expected to see you here tonight. You look beautiful, darling.”

“You know Shimura’s daughter?”

“Of course! She works for my family as a research assistant.” Lady Scientia blew past the bodyguards as if they weren’t there, embracing Shiroma warmly around the shoulders. “She’s been invaluable to our work in the last few months alone! I Dread the day she moves on to bigger things.”

Now all members of the Yamato district were off-balance. “She will not remain employed by you long-term?” The Magistrate seemed relieved.

“Of course not! I would never ask such a talented musician to remain as an assistant! She could be a famous concert pianist if she put her mind to it.”

Shiroma felt as overwhlemed as the Magistrate looked by her employer. She wasn’t sure whether or not to be mortified or honored by Lady Scientia’s praise. Becoming a concert pianist… it sounded wonderful, but it was far, far more ambitious than being a secretary. “I know! Why doesn’t Shiroma play something for you? I heard her play at Edelweiss’ Charity night over the holidays, and she was exquisite. You have a Grand Piano ready and waiting, after all.”

She hadn’t even noticed the piano; it was on a raised Dias tucked next to the great staircase. It was likely meant for the Orchestra that had canceled.

“I… Well, I suppose one song wouldn’t be amiss.” The Magistrate looked at Shrioma. “If the young lady doesn’t object?”

His tone suggested that objecting wasn’t an option, but Shiroma didn’t mind. “I would be honored.” She said with a small bow, and the first smile all evening. She slid out of reach of the bodyguards and her father before they could stop her, walking with as much grace as she could muster to the piano. It shone in gentle, warm light, freshly polished. She hoped it was as freshly tuned as she sat at the bench and opened the lid. She took a moment to find her fingering and steel her back. Breathe. The smell of her The Magistrate’s cologne and the sticky-sweet smell of champagne was replaced by the smell of piano polish.

_What should I play?_

Her fingers froze, just for a moment, with indecision. The Magistrate would frown on anything modern or loud. Her Father didn’t want her to play at all; she could feel it. And then there was….

_Play for them. Play for the only people in the room who care one whit about you_. An image flashed in her mind, for an instant, of the Carnival; clear blue skies and striking blue eyes wrapped in colorful lights and joyful celebration. _One two Three, One two Three Four…_

_Summer Sonata in D._ Her fingers found their place instantly, pulling a melody from memory and sending it across the room. She played quietly, letting herself fade into the background of the Court of Honors. She felt an unspoken tension broke as she played. The room relaxed and felt a bit brighter as the sound of a Grand Piano echoed off the great ceiling.

Her song was over just as fast as it had begun; _Summer Sonata_ was a short piece. She let her fingers linger on the last few notes, sneaking a peek around the room. Lady Scienta was distracting the Magistrate with idle chatter, and her father had been pulled aside by another patriarch of the Old Families. Even Ignis had found casual company, at least for the moment. She picked another song and continued to play before anyone could stop her.

She played for an hour, melody spilling into melody as The Evening turned into night. She felt safe, at least for a while; No one dared stop her lest the music end, and she could tell the Court was more festive than it had been when her family had entered; it finally felt like a party and not a formal gathering. She vanished into the background of everyone’s minds, hiding in plain sight and protected from the hidden daggers of the Court. She only had one small problem.

She was running out of music.

“Your fingers must be getting tired.”

Shiroma looked up from the keys. Ignis was standing at the piano, waiting patiently. She ended her song gracefully, if a few bars early. “Even the best pianists need a rest now and again.” She said, turning on the bench. “Are you enjoying the party?”

“Is that what this is? I couldn’t tell.” Ignis’ voice suggested a jest. “Most of the young men I’ve spoken to seem more focused on my heritage than anything I have to say.”

“The Yamato district is very strong on Heritage and Tradition.” Shiroma said, standing up from the bench. “Do you mind if we go out to the balcony? I could use a breath of fresh air.” And there were far fewer people out there; it was spacious, but there was still a chill in the air.

“Not at all.” Ignis led the way, carefully weaving through the crowd at Shrioma’s quiet instruction. Shiroma tucked into his shadow to avoid her father’s gaze, who had noticed the absence of music and was scanning the room for her.

There were a few couples and small groups on the balcony, but it was remarkably clear. The overcast skies had cleared as well, allowed an unmarred view of the stars and the Insomnian skyline. “You can see the Citadel on a clear day.” Shiroma said, nodding to the lights in the distance. “And on the rainy days the gardens look like a watercolor.”

The gardens she spoke of were still in the early stages of spring; the cherry blossoms were in full bloom, but most of the flora stayed in slumber, letting the Ivy do their work of covering the edge of the balconies and pillars. “You spend a lot of time here.” Ignis noticed.

_Not willingly_. Shiroma thought to herself. The business of the Passing of the Brides was all conducted out of the Magistrate’s house. “The Court of Honors as been held here for years. The Lady magistrate holds her fair share of parties as well.” She said out loud.

They looked out at the skyline. “I wish I could say I was surprised to hear you were a pianist, but I already know your skill with a keyboard.” Ignis said after a moment. “Admittedly one of a different type.”

“One was born from the other.” Shiroma said modestly. “I started playing the piano when I was young.”

“It shows. You were flawless.”

She fought the urge to blush. “Thank you.”

“I’m curious; how did you choose your music? I know events like this tend to favor classical music, but I thought I heard the theme of _Carbuncle’s Great Adventure_ at some point.”

Shiroma smiled coyly. “You did. I played a softer rendition when I ran out of classical music from memory. Most of the Old Families aren’t invested in the movie industry; I felt safe playing it. They didn’t even notice. I’m surprised you did.”

“It was one of Noct’s favorite movies as a child.” Ignis said with a shrug. Then he side-eyed her. “They didn’t invite the royal family, did they?”

He was perceptive, she granted him that. “No.” She shook her head. “If you hadn’t noticed already, the Old Families of Yamato are… just a touch vain. Having the Prince of Lucis present would have stolen the spotlight from them. Besides, the Court of Honors is meant to celebrate the sons of the Yamato District. You and I both know Noctis wouldn’t have wanted to come anyway.”

“It would have been a nightmare to get him in a suit.” Ignis agreed. “And he hates the spotlight.”

“So do you.” Shiroma. “You’re one of the only young men present tonight Not from the Yamato District. They’ve all been trying to talk to you all evening and you’re hiding out here with me. You haven’t even touched the champagne you’re holding.”

Ignis looked at her in surprise, then down at the untouched glass in his hand. “It would have been impolite to refuse it.” He said. “But my duties to the Prince require a clear mind at all times.” He paused. “And… I’ve never enjoyed the taste. You aren’t holding a glass at all.” He noticed.

_The Heirs of Yamato don’t want drunkards for Brides_. The words of her father echoed in her ear. _Not one drop._ “I don’t like the taste either.” She said with a smile.

“I see.” Ignis’ eyes narrowed for a moment. “I’m not the only one hiding, either. I noticed you caught the eye of several young men during your performance. And the first thing you did when you finished as escape to the balcony where the cold would keep them all inside.”

He had a point; it was colder than she had expected; she felt the goosebumps rising on her arms in retaliation. “We could go back inside.” She suggested. She could tell he liked the idea about as much as she did. They looked at the door to the ballroom behind them.

“… Not just yet.” They decided.

“Your mother is certainly enjoying herself.” Shiroma said, spotting the Lady Scientia holding court with more than one member of the Old Families. She had them enraptured.

“She is the outgoing member of my family.” Ignis said with a shake of his head. “Any party or charity event and she dives in like a fish to water.”

There was laughter from inside. A group of young men appeared from behind a curtain, laughing at each other as they passed by the threshold to another part of the ballroom. “They are a rambunctious crowd.” Ignis noted. “I suppose the champagne is going to their heads.”

Shiroma shook her head. “They have always been like that. Their fathers give them near-free reign yet expect them to act dignified. The results have been… less than what they have desired. Morio at least tries to act his age when in the company of adults. He’s the son of the CEO of the Yamato district’s lead newspaper-The only one that still has his hair slicked back.”

“He was speaking to me earlier-He was quite knowledgeable about the Agricultural crisis.”

“It has been in the news a lot lately, especially in the Yamato district; rice and fish are our main staples, but the farms inside the shield grow mostly wheat and livestock. There are a few that grow rice, but it takes a lot of land and water.”

“Which have been in short supply.” Ignis mused. “It must be causing quite a stir.”

“Not so much amongst many of the Old Families-but then they have the money to afford the rising food prices. The rest of Yamato is another story. There have been three different protests in the last month.”

“He did mention that.” She could see the gears in his head turning. “Though his take on the issue was along the lines of… how did he put it? ‘Anything that makes the presses hot?’”

“Much like his father.” Shiroma shook her head. “He at least tries to hide behind a facade of impartiality; if he takes one side or another it could destabilize Yamato. Balance has been one of the District’s many traditions.”

“I hope you don’t take this as an offense, but I am starting to think that your district lives five hundred years in the past.”

“Don’t worry. There are some days I think so too.” She looked back at the door. There was a shadow lurking just inside the door, lurking with a large frame. She shivered. The bodyguards had finally found her.

“You’re getting cold.”

“Oh? No, I’m not bothered at all.”

“I can see the goosebumps on your arms. I don’t want you arriving at the office tomorrow morning with a cold.” Ignis turned away from the balcony rail. “We can’t hide out here forever, regardless. I will never hear the end of it if I try.”

_You and me both_. Shiroma thought. “Have to talked to Roka at all this evening? He is the magistrate’s nephew.”

“I don’t believe I have. Can you describe him?”

“Black messy hair, his cummerbund’s tucked wrong and he’s currently trying to hold three glasses of champagne at one.” Shiroma nodded at one of the boys in the group by the door. There was a red-lined handkerchief in his pocket, and she steadfastly ignored it.

“I think I may have been trying to avoid him. He didn’t seem interested in a… mature conversation in the slightest. Adult, possibly, but I would hardly call his topic of discussion ‘mature.’”

“He has all the subtlety of a thrown brick.” Shiroma agreed. “But he’s also on the Agricultural crisis committee. You will be seeing him on Saturday if nothing else. Might as well introduce yourself now.”

Ignis looked like he would rather wrangle Malboros. “I don’t suppose it could wait until he is sober?”

“I’m afraid not. You’d be waiting until Ariades’ Comet passes.”

“And when would that be?”

“Around three hundred years from now.” Shiroma smiled. “Come on. He isn’t that bad if you know how to steer the conversation away from his evening activities. I’ll introduce you.”


	5. The Rain

It was raining. It was worse than raining; it was pouring. Shiroma sighed and let the curtain fall back into place, draping the apartment in darkness. She hated rainy days; mostly because they made no difference in her daily routine except blocking out the sun. She looked in her closet. Sure enough, her father had failed to grace her with a raincoat. Most of her clothes were still kept at the family estate, her ‘true’ place of residence. The apartment was, as far as her father was considered, an outpost for her to cut down on her commute during the work-week. It was supplied with the bare minimum in terms of clothing and furniture. She’d fought to even get a comfortable chair to sit in.

She made do, of course; she spent as little time at the family estate as possible. She would sneak articles of clothing out of the estate in her handbag and stop at the farmer’s market on the way home from work to supplement her thin diet. A neighbor had moved out and not wanted to take some of their furniture, which Shiroma had immediately purloined for herself. Another neighbor had died and their children didn’t need their old cookware; Shiroma offered to take it off of their hands. Slowly but surely she had built a little sanctuary for herself out of second-hand items and a variety of lamps. It almost looked cozy when they were turned on.

But she was going to be late for work if she didn’t hurry. She pushed aside a skirt in her closet looking for anything that would be suitable as a jacket. Her umbrella would do most of the work, but it was raining hard enough that she would be wet regardless. She found an old fog coat in the very back that had belonged to said deceased neighbor. It fit well, despite being second hand. She picked up her umbrella by the door and opened it to find a man standing on the other side.

“Good morning, Miss Shimura.”

“Oh! –Jiro. Good morning.” She was instantly on edge. Jiro was her family’s butler and go-to person for errands and… other tasks. “What brings you here?”

“A Small matter regarding your current living conditions. That is, your closing of the apartment and moving back to the family estate.”

Shiroma paled, as much as a girl with her skin color could. “So soon?”

“The Solstice is next week. You are needed at home for the final preparations.”

She had been steadfastly ignoring the oncoming Solstice ever since the night of the Court of Honors. Measuring days had come and gone, followed by interviews and preening sessions and photography shoots. Work had been an escape for her; she spent as much time at the office as she could where here family didn’t know where she worked and security stopped anyone at the door without an ID card.

“I…”She thought of all the extra furniture and belongings she had gathered. “I hadn’t realized it would be so soon. It will take me time to prepare everything to move.”

“There is also the small matter of your employment. You will need to give your resignation before the end of tomorrow.”

Her heart dropped. She’d known it was inevitable. She’d hoped that whoever bought her would let her continue working, but

“You have already written your letter of resignation, correct?”

“I… No, not yet.”

“I see. Thankfully your father had the discretion to have me write it for you. He knew you would have… misgivings about terminating your employment.” He handed over a Manila envelope, unlabeled and thin except for a single piece of paper. “You will have twenty-four hours to vacate the premises and return to the Estate. The Manservants will come and collect anything you leave behind.”

Shiroma took the envelope, hands shaking. _No, please, not like this._

“Do you understand?”

“I… Yes.”

“Good.” Jiro looked down his long nose at her. It might have been desperation, but she thought she saw a sliver of pity in his eyes. “Then I will not delay you any longer. Do have a good day, Miss Shimura.”

She closed the door behind him, waiting until she heard his footsteps vanish down the hall before collapsing in a heap. She wanted to rip the envelope in half, then and there. _I could run. A purse and a day bag, and I could get a hotel, I have enough saved up for a week or two…_

Her plans withered and died as soon as she conceived them. Her father wouldn’t hesitate a second once he found out she’d made a run for it. The bodyguards or whatever private eye he hired would find her faster than she could make a new identity for herself. Worse came to worse they would kick down the office door looking for her. She opened the envelope with shaking hands.

“As of June 14th I resign my position as Research Assistant.” She read bitterly. It was all the letter said, bar a space for her signature. She crumpled it in her hands. She was being forced to quit her job, but she was going to do it with her own words.

Even if it broke her heart.

It was a dreary ride to the office. The train stunk even more than it normally did, the people around her cloaked in blacks and greys to fight off the rain. Her bag was tucked tightly under her arm as she navigated the crowds to the office. She felt like a sailboat in a storm as she bounced off person after person fighting her way to the door of the lobby. It was no less crowded inside, the floor soaked with water. She nearly fell several times, regaining her balance only when she reached the elevator.

The sound of screeching metal greeted her ears when she opened the door to the office, and she winced. The superintendent for the building had insisted that maintenance was necessary for the conference room. Why it had to be done during working hours was beyond her; The sound of construction and the constant tramping of workers in and out of the office had distracted her enough over the last couple of days. She was in a low mood before she even sat down at her desk. The pile of mail in her inbox did little to lighten her mood. She could feel the exhaustion in her eyes before she even grabbed the first letter.

There were three unmarked envelopes. All three were tossed in a separate pile to be handled by security off the bat. A sticky note went on the computer to talk to Tony in the mail room again. This had long past gotten ridiculous. She returned to the rest of the mail, her heart not in the process of sorting it out. Word must have gotten out that the Prince would be graduating soon; there were more petitions than ever. They threatened to spill onto the floor by the time she was finished. With the mail sorted and waiting she turned to the dreaded letter that she never wanted to write.

It took most of the morning to even dash together a coherent paragraph. It was interspersed with other work; answering the phone, directing contractors and trying to track down an essay Noctis claimed he’d left there the day before. She’d found it tucked in the cabinet next to the tv screen, between the game console he’d snuck in without Ignis knowing and the computer tower. She slid it into a Manila envelope and shook off the sawdust before setting it in the top drawer of her desk. She didn’t want to think about the one she would be leaving on the Conference table at the end of tomorrow.

 _I don’t even know what to leave them._ Shiroma thought sadly, looking down at her desk. It was her first real job, but she knew employers typically preferred two week’s notice so they could train a replacement. _What do I do to make this as organized as possible?_ That in itself felt overwhelming. She wanted nothing more than to go home, curl up in bed and cry. She didn’t want to blindside them like this. She hated doing it.

Every word in that letter felt like a dagger in the heart.

“Shiroma?”

She looked up. Ignis was standing at the corner of her desk with a concerned look. “Did you hear me?”

“Oh… No, I’m sorry, I got distracted for a moment.” The word processor was closedwith a single keystroke. “Did you need something?”

“Noctis’ essay. He said he left it here?”

“Yes, it was in the conference room. Here, I put it in a…” She reached into the desk for the envelope, bumping the corner of the desk as she did so. The stack of letters tumbled to the floor, spilling across the carpet in an avalanche of fan-mail.She gasped and reach for them all too late, watching in dismay as her morning work undid itself in an instant. ”Oh no.”

It was one thing after another today. She put on a brave face and looked up at Ignis. “Don’t worry, I can get the mail cleaned up. Here’s the essay he left.” She pulled the envelope out of the desk, fighting to keep her hands and shoulders from shaking.“I’d hate for him to get a lowered grade if it was late.” It was a subtle hint for Ignis to leave so that she could clean up the mail in peace.

He didn’t take the hint. “You don’t have to do all of this yourself.” He said, kneeling down to pick up the mail.

“I could say the same for you. I can handle the phone calls just as well as you can.” _Why am I saying this? I’m trying to prepare to quit, not take on even more work!_ She got out of her chair to collect the letters before he could.

“Some of the people that call won’t take no for an answer. You don’t need them wasting your time.”

“Neither do you. I can say no just as well as you can.”

“Can you?” Ignis looked up at her and handed her the stack of letters he had collected. She hadn’t been expecting the challenge; Shiroma was silent as Ignis held her in his gaze. She felt like an open book; She couldn’t. 

“Don’t worry about the phones for now; anyone that calls can listen to the voicemail as well as they can you or me.” Ignis said, standing up. Shiroma shuffled the mail into an even shape before carefully tucking it into her inbox. “I will be back after I deliver this.” He held up the envelope with the forgotten essay. “Can you have the report from the latest Agricultural meeting ready by this afternoon?”

Shiroma nodded, then turned her attention to her computer and pulled up a fresh document.

“Shiroma… are you alright?”

Her fingers paused on the keyboard. Open book, indeed. “Of course.” She summoned the strongest smile she could as she looked up. “Why do you ask?”

Ignis gauged her response. “No reason, in particular.” He turned towards the door. “Go ahead and take an extended lunch today. There won’t be many visitors with the maintenance team in the conference room all day.”

“Ignis.”

He looked back. Her eyes softened just a bit. “Thank you.”

Ignis nodded with a small smile of his own before vanishing through the door. Shiroma waited until she was sure he was gone before she let her head fall with defeat on the desk.

 _I can’t do this._ She loved her job too much. She loved them; Mr. Popwell in the lobby, Tony in the Mail room, Ignis and Noct and Gladio even though he terrified her with his bulk and-Everyone. The ones that treated her like a real person and not a doll to be sold at auction. If she was forced to go back to the Family Estate tomorrow… she may as well kill herself. She sighed and reached under her desk for her lunch bag to go sit… somewhere. The Park was definitely out today. Her fingers met empty air and she looked under the desk in confusion.

 _Oh no._ She’d left her lunchbox at the apartment in her haste to get to work after Jiro had left. Her head met her desk again. She couldn’t take anymore.

Her phone rang. It took her a moment to realize that it was her own personal phone and not the desk phone.

“Hello?”

“Shiiiiirooo! Girl! We need a Lunch Date, Like, now! You are. Not. Going to believe what happened in the Courthouse today!”

Her voice alone was a balm on her wounded heart. “Good morning to you too, Stacey.”

“Come on, I know a great cafe not that far from your office. I know the weather sucks, but this place is. Worth. It. They even have a great vegetarian menu, I know you tend to watch what you eat.”

“Hey, My diet isn’t that strict.” Shiroma protested. It was, but she could cheat for a day. “When are you free?”

“Right now. You?”

“I was just given a nice long break. Meet you in the lobby in ten minutes?”

“You’re on. Shiro, Oh, my, gosh, I’m over the _moon_ right now. I’ll see you in ten minutes!”

Shiroma felt hope blossom in her chest as she hung up the phone. She tried not to think about the fact that her friendship with Stacey would end tomorrow as well. At least as far as her father was concerned.

_I can’t fight my father._

_But I have to try._

She picked up her purse and pulled her coat off of the coat rack in the corner. Stacey might have some ideas about hiding from my father. At least long enough to change apartments and change names. She didn’t dare let hope burn in her chest; She’d seen her father crush the livelihoods of men for less than that.

It burned regardless.


	6. Bad Day

Her lunch date with Stacey was a ray of light in an otherwise terrible day. Unfortunately that ray of light faded as she returned to her desk for the afternoon. It started with the massive crowd of people on the floor as she stepped out of the elevator. She could scarcely see down the hallway to her own office, let alone anywhere else in the elevator lobby. _Is there a riot?_

“You! Do you know anything about the missing Consumer safety files?!” A man appeared out of the crowd, looming over her with incredible height. “We need to find them before the product launch!”

“I…” Shiroma was caught off guard. “Consumer Safety files?”

“The Little documents that tell our buyers how not to kill themselves! Come on, it’s not rocket science!” The Man snapped his fingers in her face. “Find them fast or you won’t have a job at Accelerated Electronics anymore!”

“But… but I _don’t_ have a-”

“I don’t want to hear excuses! Find them!” The man vanished back into the crowd as quickly as he appeared. Shiroma was left with a bewildered expression in the middle of the elevator lobby. She pulled the box that Stacey had given her a little tighter to her side and took no more than two steps towards the hallway when another person appeared.

“Where are you going? We need you to distract the VIPs while we get the presentation put together!” This man was no less harried than the last, and just as clueless as to the members of his own team. “Just sit in there and look pretty and ask them about their portfolios!” He pushed her towards a door in the opposite direction of the office before vanishing into the crowd. Shiroma fought to keep her balance as she tried to re-orient herself. She had no clue what was going on and wanted no part of it. She managed to find the elevator itself and was almost to the hallway before she felt a tug on the back of her jacket.

“Hey! No bathroom breaks!” She was spun around until she was facing a large, bald man with a stained tie and a sour attitude. “You’ve got a lot of nerve thinking you can just sneak off on Launch Day. It’s all hands on deck and we can’t afford a SINGLE. Person missing. Do I make myself clear!?”

“But… I don’t work-” Shiroma looked around desperately for anyone with the common sense to realize she wasn’t a AE employee. She heard the elevator door open behind her.

“Everyone is working on Launch Day!” The Man started jabbing his finger into her chest. “You were warned months ago that no time off would be approved. Now get back into the Demo Room and-”

Shiroma took a step back, praying that the elevator wasn’t packed and she could escape from the deranged man in front of her. She felt someone grab her shoulder and pull her into the elevator. “Please stop harassing my assistant, Mr. MacPherson.” Ignis said as the elevator doors closed. She saw the man’s face whiten with shock, before contorting into another yell before the doors cut him off.

The elevator was silent for a moment. Then the motors kicked in and the elevator descended back to the lobby. It gave Shiroma a chance to catch her breath and process the circus she had just walked into.

“That was… unexpected.” Ignis said, still looking at the elevator doors. “I don’t suppose you have identical sisters?”

“N-No.” Shiroma said with a shake of her head. _Not unless every other Bride got a job with Accelerated Electronics_. “I don’t envy whoever they were looking for.”

“So… what’s the plan now?” Noctis was leaning against the wall of the elevator, his school bag slung over his shoulder. “We can’t exactly get to the office without going through that mess.”

“We can take the stairs from the fourteenth floor.” Shiroma said. “AE takes up most of the fifteenth floor, but they don’t have any offices near the stairwell. We should be able to get in from there.”

The elevator dinged, opening its doors to let people in from the lobby. Shiroma and Ignis pushed up against the furthest wall next to Noctis, Shiroma squeezing herself into the corner as much as possible. They were silent on the way back up. Shiroma was quietly relieved that no one was trying to get to the fifteenth floor. They pushed their way out on the fourteenth, ducking down a side hallway as the elevators closed.

“Their launch day seems to be a shambles.” Ignis noticed. “You can still hear them shouting through the floor.”

There was indeed muffled sounds coming from above. Shiroma hugged her box tighter to her chest and looked for the stairwell.

“Hang on.” Noctis came to a pause. “Let’s grab something to drink. I don’t think we’ll want to leave the office once we get up there.” There were vending machines next to the door to the stairwell.

“A wise choice.”

The vending machines were three water bottles, a soda and a can of Ebony lighter when they entered the stairwell. Their footsteps echoed on the concrete stairs as they climbed the flight to the next floor. Ignis pushed a card against the card-reader and pulled at the satisfying click. “It’s clear.” He said, peering out into the hallway.

The hallway itself was silent, only buffeted by the sounds of crowds and more panic around distant corners. Their office was at the end of the hallway, intersecting at a corner with the hallway that led to the elevators. There was still sawdust in the carpet as Shiroma shuffled through her purse for the key. She had only just slid the key into the lock when someone appeared around the corner. “Oh no.”

“Inside.” Ignis pushed the door open around her and put an arm between her and the hallway. “He hasn’t seen you yet.”

“Hey! We need you in the Demo room for-Where are you going?!”

“Now he has.” Shiroma muttered as she shoved the door open with her shoulder. “Will they ever go away?”

“I got this.” Noct nodded at Ignis, who nodded back before entering the office himself.

“What is he doing?” Shiroma asked. Ignis pushed her to the other side of the door, out of view of the hallway.

“Practicing.”

“Practicing what?”

A knife flew through the door, striking a small foam circle that had been nailed to the opposite wall. Noctis appeared from nowhere, holding the blade of the knife for an instant before dropping to the floor. Ignis shut the door as soon as he appeared, throwing the lock. “That.” Ignis replied. “Which isn’t a socially acceptable way to leave a conversation, by the way.”

“I wouldn’t call what just happened a ‘conversation.’” Noct said, letting the knife vanish back into light. “He was insistent I was some intern that worked in their offices. Didn’t have a clue that other people work here. Told him one of their Investors was standing behind him in order to turn his head.”

Ignis’ eyes narrowed. “I am starting to think it would be prudent to move offices. If this is how they treat their neighbors I shudder to think how they treat their staff.”

There was a loud BANG as someone started slamming their fist on the door. The three of them watched it warily as the person on the other side began to spew threats regarding termination of employment.

“We will definitely be moving offices.” Ignis decided as he set his Ebony down on the coffee table. Noctis flopped into the chair next to it, clearly disinterested in the man trying to break down their door. “Do you have any preferences on location?”

“I dunno. Maybe a bit closer to the citadel?” Noctis said with a shrug. “I know we can’t be too picky, but trying to keep a low profile really isn’t working out for us right now.”

There was another BANG on the door, followed by silence. “We will certainly be more selective in our choice of neighbors.” Ignis said. “Shiroma? What is in that box you’ve been carrying?”

She’d completely forgotten about it. “Oh… I don’t really know, to be honest. My friend Stacey gave it to me. She said it was some gift she’d gotten for work, but she didn’t want it, so she gave it to me.” She set the box down on the desk and opened it. It was an electric kettle, black with an elegant handle.

“Not a bad choice.” Ignis said. “I imagine it would be handy for a small office if hot drinks were required.”

Shiroma looked out the window at the rain that was still coming down in droves. “I think a cup of tea would be a very good idea.” She agreed.

It didn’t take her long to set up the kettle and pour two of the bottles of water into it. As the kettle heated she reached into the bottom drawer of her desk for the paper cups and teabags she kept. She had a small selection, mostly pulled from the break room downstairs and whatever extra bags she picked up from coffee shops. Still, it was better than nothing.

 _Would I move with them?_ She wondered as she poured hot water into the cups. _They could easily hire a new assistant if they move into a higher-security office. They might have to, if I can’t escape from father_.

“Shiroma, you may want to call security and tell them to disregard any calls from AE regarding wayward employees locking themselves in an office. We don’t want to be wasting their time.” Ignis said, accepting one of the cups.

Shiroma nodded and reached for the phone. “I’ll call the receptionist, too. If the Dominion Architectural engineers down the hall get back from lunch soon I don’t want them to walk into that disaster.”

“Hey, are there any office buildings near the Royal district?” Noctis asked, sitting up in his seat. “There’s plenty of buildings down that way, close to the Citadel.”

“It would be an ideal location for you.” Ignis mused. “I imagine they will be highly sought after, though.”

Shiroma tapped at her keyboard as she put the phone to her ear. “Good afternoon, this is Shiroma from- Oh, Wilfred, hi! No, nothing that serious. I was calling to warn you about Accelerated Electronics down the hall from us. Their product launch is going poorly, to say the least of it, and…”

“There has to be something.” Noctis continued his conversation with Ignis. “It’s mostly financial businesses and accounting services on the North side. Boring, but that might be a good thing.”

Shiroma pivoted her screen so that it faced the chairs. “There are five office buildings with vacancies in the Financial sector north of the Citadel.” She said, setting down the phone. “If you give me a few more minutes I can-”

There was a loud POP as the lights flickered, then went dark. Sparks flew from the computer under Shiroma’s desk, causing her to shriek with alarm and push away from the desk. The smell of fried electronics lingered in the air long after the after burn had faded from her eyes.

“Now what?”

“Shiroma?”

“I’m fine.” Her heart was still racing. “Was that a power surge? I didn’t think we were expecting Thunderstorms today.”

“We weren’t.” She heard Ignis stand up across the room. “Wait here. I think there is a torch left in the emergency kit in the conference rooms.” The windows provided enough light to watch him vanish into the conference room. Shiroma vaguely remembered the blinds being drawn.

“Be careful!” Shiroma called. “I think the contractors may have left some-”

There was a CRASH from inside the conference room, followed by the sound of something falling over. “…Tools.”

Noctis pulled out his phone and turned on its flashlight. Shiroma followed suit, both trying to peer into the darkness. Ignis emerged a minute later, holding a flashlight in one hand and a red bag in the other. “If I never have to stumble around in the dark again it will be too soon.” Ignis muttered. “I don’t suppose the phones still work?”

Shiroma checked. “No, it’s gone dead too.”

“Did the power go out to the whole building?”

There was a knock on the door, far more polite than the previous visitor. They almost paid it no mind, if not for the fact that the lock clicked shortly after. “Well, I see you are just as much in the dark as we were. So much for a productive afternoon.”

“Oh, Hey Mr. Scientia.” Noctis said with a chill wave. The man that walked through the door, in what little light they had, was almost an older version of Ignis. His hair was a darker color, though, and his eyes were softer.

“Father? What are you doing here today?”

“I was here for AE’s new Product launch.” The elder said, brushing a bit of dust off of his sleeve. “I own several shares in their company. Shares I will be selling as soon as I can find a working phone. I see their little… demonstration knocked out power for the whole floor.”

“That is putting it lightly.” Ignis said. “That power surge fried Shiroma’s computer. I don’t know if anything will be salvageable.”

Mr. Scientia turned his eyes to her. “I hope you didn’t lose any important work?”

 _The Resignation letter._ She wasn’t sure whether to feel horrified or relieved. “No, I backed up the computer yesterday before the contractors came to repair the floor in the conference room.” She said aloud. “Anything else I can recreate later. The hard drive should be in the safe.”

“Good. You are going to need it.” Mr. Scientia looked at Ignis. “I hope I am not absurd in suggesting this, but I think it would be best to move the office to another building after the disaster that was their product launch.”

“You could have read my mind. We were discussing that idea when the power went out.”

“Oh?”

“They made more than a nuisance of themselves today. Both Noctis and Shiroma have been harassed by their employees in the last hour alone. Security should have the phone record from the call we made.”

“Then losing shareholders will be the least of their worries.” The elder’s eyes narrowed. “You might as well go home. No one is going to be working as long as the power is out, and I won’t have any of you stumbling around in a dark office.” He left the room as suddenly as he appeared, letting the door close behind him.

“An excellent idea.” Ignis agreed.

“I can stay and lock up.” Shiroma said, reaching over to unplug the kettle. “I think the contractors were coming back later to finish the floor. I need to let them know that the power is out.”

“You can leave a note on the door, can’t you?”

“That would require a working computer and a printer.” Shiroma pointed out. “It’s no trouble.”

“You are okay with staying in a dark office by yourself?”

 _My apartment is darker than this every day._ “Of course! I can’t imagine they would be more than half an hour. Unless they took the elevator.”

“If you’re sure…” Ignis said slowly. “Noct, let’s go. We should be able to reach the parking tower before the flood of people leaving the demo.”

“Right behind you.” Noctis picked up his bag from the floor and slipped out the open door. Ignis paused in the doorway.

“Don’t stay too late. The weather isn’t likely to improve.”

“I will leave as soon as the contractors come.” Shiroma promised. “Have a good afternoon.”

She waited until the door was closed and she was sure they weren’t coming back to slump back into her chair. She felt drained. She picked up her abandoned cup of tea and looked around the rain-lit room. Even with the power out it’s still home.

She looked around her desk. She’d printed out some meeting minutes that morning that she had been meaning to look over and summarize. She could at least do that while she waited for the contractors.

She was three pages into the twelve-page document when there was shouting in the hallway. “WHERE are those bloody Interns!” She heard. She looked back down at her notes, then froze. _No one locked the door._ She looked at the door in horror as someone smashed their fist against it. There was no way she could lock it without them noticing the noise. She set down the minutes and looked around the room in a panic. There. The curtains. Her tea was left to cool on the desk as she folded herself into the floor-length curtains, back to the room as she made herself as flat as possible. No sooner had the drapes fallen back into place than the room opened.

“I’m GOING to have their heads for this!” A man shouted. She recognized his voice as the last one to accost her at the elevator earlier. “It’s their fault the marketing guys weren’t giving the safety information!”

She heard several people enter the room behind her, and she held her breath. Someone rummaged around the chairs and opened the door to the conference room. “They’re not here.”

“I saw them come in here! They had a key and everything!”

“They probably left as soon as they thought the coast was clear. Come on, they won’t be able to hide from HR when they try to come into work tomorrow.”

“Hey, what’s this?” She heard someone pick up the notes she’d left on the desk. “Scientia and Associates…” She heard a swear word that her Father believed should never reach a Bride’s ear. “Mac, this isn’t even one of our offices.”

“Bullcrap, the door was unlocked!”

“Boss. We need to go. If they come back and find that we broke into their offices while they were out…”

“Like we care about some random lawyer that’s decided to hole up in-”

“Scientia is one of our shareholders. He was sitting in the front row at the demonstration.”

She could almost hear the blood drain from his face. “We were never here.” He instructed, his voice low and fierce. “If anyone asks the two interns hiding in here aren’t ours.”

“You know, they probably weren’t even working for us in the-”

“ENOUGH. Let’s go.”

She heard the men leave the room as quickly as they had come, the last one respectfully closing the door behind him. It was still a long moment before she had the nerve to let out the breath she had been holding. _That was close._ She was glad Ignis and Noctis had left. If they had stayed there definitely would have been an ugly confrontation. She hated confrontation.

She looked out the window as she let her heart rate slow. Insomnia was beautiful in the rain, neon lights from side street stores shining brilliantly alongside carved streetlights in the mist. She leaned her cheek against the window, letting its coolness seep into her skin. _I wonder if the view will be as nice from whatever penthouse or estate I end up locked in._

_I can’t think like that. I’m going to escape._

_I have to._


End file.
